CHOOSING a competitive sport to play can be, well, pretty intimidating. Nobody wants to be the weakest link and that means taking into account what you’ve got working for you and what you’ve got working against you.

Unless you’re built like a refrigerator you’re probably not going to excel as a linebacker. Without the gift of speed, agility and extraordinarily long limbs, shooting hoops isn’t likely your forte.

So, what do you do when you want to play, but don’t want to completely stink? Take up dragon boat racing, that’s what.

The ancient Chinese form of boat racing may sound a little obscure, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you’ve ever felt a little, uh, athletically challenged.

Dragon boat racing suits both the recreational and competitive athlete looking for a short and strenuous workout that’s big on fun without the pressure of performance. Oh, and it may even land you a date.

Ask any paddler — novice or seasoned veteran — and the response is the same. The appeal of dragon boat racing is the inclusiveness of the sport and comradery among the crew.

“The thing about dragon boat racing is that there is no star player, everyone works together and shares the workload. Anyone can do this — you don’t have to be in good shape,” says Bay Area Dragons coach Nathan Chan, 30, of Sunnyvale.

“It’s been increasing in popularity very rapidly, especially the youth division. It appeals to a different kind of kid. For those not interested in field sports, taking a boat out is a nice alternative. I think of it as the antithesis to the jock sport,” says Paul Kamen of Dragon Max in Berkeley.

While you don’t have to be in tip top shape to get your paddle on, that doesn’t mean you won’t get a workout.

“People think you only use your arms, but you’re using your back muscles, abs and legs. When you bring up the rate it turns into an aerobic intensive drill. And if you want to try something out and you don’t think you’re in great shape this will tell you,” says Bay Area Dragons paddler Emmie Yang, 38, of San Mateo.

Sure, you get a good workout and maybe even a few good friends out of the weekly training sessions, but did you know you could potentially meet your better half?

“A number of people have met their girlfriends or spouses on the team,” says Yang, whose husband is a fellow paddler.

But not everyone is in it to hook up. Phyllis Ritchie, 61, of Oakland joined Berkeley’s Dragon Max simply to keep active.

“It’s a great sport because you can do it at all ages. As you get older, it’s good to have something to be involved in,” Ritchie says.

Dragon boat racing is a symbol of Chinese culture and spirit and is even celebrated as a national holiday. The origin of the sport is believed to date back about 2,500 years.

Breaking down dragon boating

The dragon boat itself sort of looks like a canoe, but in fact it’s a long and narrow boat that holds a standard crew of 22. The crew is divided into three sections: 20 paddlers, one steerer and one drummer. Paddlers sit in pairs and face the drummer or “caller” who keeps pace by pounding a drum.

“The power section is the middle. That’s why the majority of our beefy guys are in the middle. The back has to be able to work with sort of the dirty water that’s rushing down the middle and be technically strong as well,” says Yang.

Races are typically sprint events that last only a few minutes. The standard length is 500 meters but can be as short as 250 meters. During races, dragon boats are outfitted with decorative Chinese dragon heads and large drums.

“Before each race there is something known as the awakening of the dragon. The dragon’s eyes are whited out after each race and to awaken the dragon the eye area is darkened before the race. Darkening the eye awakens the spirit and brings strength for all the paddlers and keeps everyone safe — that’s the old Chinese tradition” says Alvin Wang, head of Foster City’s Bay Area Dragons.

The popularity of dragon boat racing has been growing worldwide and in the Bay Area, where Wang helped get the sport going about 10 years ago.

Originally from Canada, where dragon boat racing is huge, Wang moved here and couldn’t pass up taking advantage of the good weather. He introduced the water sport to the Peninsula and has since earned the title of the Bay Area’s resident dragon boat head honcho.

Each Saturday the Bay Area Dragons, like other dragon boat racing teams, offer free sessions for beginner paddlers with all the necessary gear: life jackets, paddles, boats and coaching.

The practices play out more like a social gathering rather than an intense workout sesh with all ages showing up, ranging from 16 to 70 years old.

“The majority is definitely younger, but we do have a high school crew, and we’re working on developing a breast cancer survivor team. We encourage people to come try it out as a new type of sport or group activity,” says Wang.

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